Komodo Day ISIF 2019 Program Book

2019 International Symposium on Indonesian Fauna Bogor, 3 December 2019

komodo day program book

Acknowledgements Celebrating more than a decade to preserve Komodo dragon, we cordially thank our partners from whom we receive great amount of support: Direktorat Jenderal Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam dan Ekosistem Balai Taman Nasional Komodo Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Nusa Tenggara Timur Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia We look forward to more decades of preserving the incredible wildlife of Indonesia.

Komodo Day Program Book Credit Pictures in Infographics

Map Komodo Illustration Story, Design & Layout

: Achmad Ariefiandy, Maria Panggur, Aganto Seno, Ian Recchio, Deni Purwandana, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Puspita Insan Kamil, Nicolas Cegalerba : Muhammad Azmi : Amer Risnadi : Puspita Insan Kamil

komodo day program book

2019 International Symposium on Indonesian Fauna Swiss-Belhotel Bogor, 3 December 2019

Komodo Survival Program History & Milestones

The Estab Initial Research

Deni Purwandana assisted Claudio Ciofi’s research on Komodo hatchling’s spatial ecology in Komodo National Park.

Initial Research

Achmad Ariefiandy joined the Zoological Society of San Diego project.

Komodo Sur was establish Research Fou the law in Re Tim Jessop & ed to serve as Komodo Sur

2001 2004 20 2002 2006 Initial Research

Deni Purwandana and Jeri Imansyah assisted Tim Jessop’s Post-Doc Fellowship with Zoological Society of San Diego: Broad Scale Population Monitoring in Komodo National Park.

Initial Research

The project of Zoological Society of Zan Diego was completed in this year.

Deni, Achmad, and Jeri continued the Komodo dragon population monitoring program.

blishment

rvival Program hed, declared as undation under epublic of Indonesia. & Claudio Ciofi starts scientific advisers to rvival Program.

Scientific Award

Lead researchers of Komodo Survival Program was awarded Arnold Berliner Award for one of their publications on changes in feeding habits of Komodo dragons.

007 2017 2008 2019 The Collaboration

Komodo Survival Program signed a Cooperation Agreement with Komodo National Park. This agreement is renewed every five years to present date.

Government Award

This year, Komodo Survival Program received two awards from Ministry of Environment and Forestry, on (1) contribution in supporting conservation effort in natural reserves and protected area, and (2) lifetime achievement in 15 years of research and monitor komodo dragon population.

Komodo Distribution & Our Activities

Komodo Biology & Protection

Tim Jessop Dr. Tim Jessop is an ecologist and scientific advisor to Komodo Survival Program. His primary research goal is to understand how ecological theory can facilitate informed wildlife management and conservation.

Tim has been studying Komodo dragons since 2002.

Email: t.jessop@deakin.edu.au

Keynote speech (2 December 2019)

Explorations into Komodo Dragon Persistence Tim S. Jessop, Achmad Ariefiandy , Deni Purwandana and Claudio Ciofi The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), the world’s largest lizard, arrived in Flores on eastern Indonesia ~ 900 000 years before present. The species subsequently colonised a small number of adjacent islands resulting in an otherwise highly restricted range distribution. Studies of their phylogeography and genome point to differences in the demographic history of populations and specialised organismal traits, respectively. However, this information does little to functionally explain how these large lizards have persisted across disparate island environments for millennia. Here I will discuss the roles of key eco-evolutionary processes including phenotypic plasticity, dispersal, intraspecific niche partitioning, ectothermy and predator-prey interactions that appear to be significant in explaining Komodo dragon persistence. As collectively these key processes appear to have allowed Komodo dragons to ameliorate strong spatio-temporal selection, favour local adaptation, and buffer against stochastic processes synonymous with island extinction. Of course, with the advent of rapid global change these very same abilities may indeed predispose Komodo dragons to high extinction risk. Finally, I will provide a brief overview of the Komodo dragon symposium which will bring to light the various conservation initiatives now underway to protect this iconic species.

Keywords: evolution; ecology, islands, Varanus komodoensis.

Komodo Day Schedule

3 December, 2019

7:30 - 8:30

Key note 8:30 - 10:30

Registration and Powerpoint Submission Dr. Claudio Ciofi

Komodo dragon research and conservation: One century of commitment from discovery to current efforts

Lukita Awang Nistyantara

Management of Komodo dragon: Challenges and opportunities

M. Jeri Imansyah

Linking knowledge to action in collaboration on Komodo dragon research and conservation: lesson learn

Achmad Ariefiandy

The current distribution status of Komodo dragons

Dr. Evy Arida

Conservation genetics of the Komodo Dragon, Varanus komodoensis, in its natural habitats

10:30 - 10:45

Coffee break

10:45 - 11:00

Deni Purwandana

Demographic status of Komodo dragon populations in Komodo National Park

11:00 - 11:15

Dr. Tim Jessop

Effect of the wet-dry tropical seasonality on Komodo dragon biology

11:15 - 11:30

Sanggar Abdil Nasu

Population dynamic of rusa deer in Komodo National Park

11:30 - 11:45

Maria R. Panggur

Methods and value of Komodo dragon population monitoring

11:45 - 12:00

Muhammad Azmi

Preliminary assessment: Impact of land use and land cover change to potential ecological threat of Komodo dragon distribution on Flores Island

12:00 - 13:00

Lunch break

13:00 - 13:15

Dr. Claudio Ciofi

Genetic Assignment of Captive Komodo Dragons to Population of Origin

13:15 - 13:30

Umar Fadhli Kennedi

Invasive toads are close to but absent from Komodo National Park

13:30 - 13:45

Ardiantiono

Understanding human-Komodo conflict patterns and engaging local communities in data collection

13:45 - 14:00

Arzyana Sunkar

Role of culture in the emotional response towards komodo dragon in Komodo National Park: A comparative study in Komodo and Rinca villages

14:00 - 14:15

Ayu Wijayanti

Ethnography method and social mapping to support Komodo dragon conservation programs

14:15 - 14:30

Puspita Insan Kamil

Measuring the human dimension for conservation using psycological measurement tools: Case study of Komodo dragon conservation

14:30 - 15:00

Coffee break

15:00 - 17:00

Focus Group Discussion : Komodo dragon conservation and future collaboration

Claudio Ciofi Claudio Ciofi is Associate Professor in molecular ecology and Associate Head of the Department of Biology at the University of Florence, Italy, where he coordinates a collaboration with the Indonesian Institute of Science. He serves on the Board of Trustees and as scientific advisor to Komodo Survival Program.

Email: claudio.ciofi@unifi.it

Komodo Dragon Research and Conservation: One Century of Commitment from Discovery to Current Efforts Claudio Ciofi, Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Jeri Imansyah, Evy Arida, Moch Samsul Arifin Zein, Ardiantiono, Muhammad Azmi, Puspita I. Kamil, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Ayu Wijayanti, and Tim S. Jessop The first description of a “Varanus species of an unusual size� was given only in 1912 by members of a Dutch pearling fleet stationed at the island of Komodo who described surreal encounters with a giant lizard. After the First World War, several expeditions set off to study the natural history of Varanus komodoensis, but only in the late 1970s, thanks to the 13-month field work of Walter Auffenberg from the University of Florida, the first comprehensive contribution to the understanding of the ecology and biology of this enthralling animal was published. Since then, much has been unraveled of the evolutionary history, population ecology, status and distribution of Komodo dragons.

Here, we provide a brief overview on how early explorative studies have developed into a well-organized and diverse research and conservation framework with a synergic approach which is expanding our knowledge of the biology of this charismatic species and fostering protection and management of extant populations through capacity building, sustainable development and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts.

Keywords: Wildlife conservation, Population biology, Reptiles, Varanus

Lukita Awang Nistyantara Lukita Awang received bachelor degree from Gajah Mada University and a master’s from Bogor Agriculture University. Having a range of conservation areas management experience, prior serving as the head of the Komodo National Park, Lukita worked at the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, BBKSDA Riau and BKSDA North Sulawesi. He has a strong commitment to the implementation of NP resort-based management.

Email: nistyantara@gmail.com

Management of Komodo Dragon: Challenges and Opportunities Lukita Awang Nistyantara Biodiversity management is carried out on three levels: individuals, species and ecosystem management. The Komodo National Park Authority, which main duty is to protect, preserve and use in a sustainable way biodiversity resources, has so far focused efforts on conservation of the Komodo dragon at the ecosystem level. Conservation efforts included securing the Park from various threats such as fire, poaching of the main Komodo dragon preys and illegal tourism. In addition, a habitat management program was carried out to minimize alteration of Komodo dragon natural habitat. In the last 20 years, Komodo dragon research has been conducted in close collaboration with the NGO Komodo Survival Program and other parties including LIPI and Academic Institutions. Long term studies included data on demography, habitat, genetics, human and wildlife conflicts, and the influence of human activities on the behavior of Komodo dragons. However, there are many other aspects that need to be further studied such as diseases, animal health and Komodo dragon survival on small islands. Moreover, management guidelines for this endemic species need to be defined for Komodo National Park and the Island of Flores. Komodo dragon related research is the basis for management decision making and it is a crucial factor in current management issues.

The strategies for Komodo dragons management are 1) island-based Komodo dragon management, 2) management policies based on reliable scientific studies, 3) involvement of stakeholders, government, NGOs, business actors and local communities.

Keywords: komodo, management, research, strategy

M. Jeri Imansyah Jeri has been working on conservation biology since 2001, focusing on wildlife conservation management of various charismatic species such as Komodo dragon, bali mynah, Sumatran rhino, and Sumatran elephant. His primary interests are integrated conservation approach, combined landscape management, policy and institutional enhancement, community based interventions, and sustainable financing.

Email: mimansyah@wcs.org

Linking Knowledge to Action in Collaboration on Komodo Dragon Research and Conservation: Lesson Learn M Jeri Imansyah, Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Lukita Awang, Muhammad Zein, Muhammad Azmi, Puspita I. Kamil, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Ayu Wijayanti, Claudio Ciofi, and Tim S. Jessop The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest among lizard species in the world and endemic to five islands in the Eastern Indonesia. Authors have documented results from various collaborative studies on Komodo dragon population, ecology, and conservation techniques. The long term collaboration was pioneered in 2001 and currently has been extended by involving various sectors representing local, national, and international communities, universities, and research institutions, as well local and national government. This paper describes a brief overview on the importance of linking knowledge gained within the last two decades into a more robust collaborative program in monitoring and conserving the charismatic species.

Keywords: Knowledge, Collaborative conservation, Varanus komodoensis

Achmad Ariefiandy Achmad (M.Phil) is an ecologist involved in monitoring and research of Komodo dragons since 2004.

His interests include evaluating the Komodo dragon distribution and population abundance. He is strongly involved in Komodo dragon conservation through liaising with management authorities and local communities to improve species protection efforts.

Email: aariefiandy@komododragon.org

The Current Distribution Status of Komodo Dragons Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Muhammad Azmi, Sanggar A. Nasu, Maria R. Panggur, Juna Mardani, Claudio Ciofi and Tim S. Jessop The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a vulnerable endangered island-endemic with a naturally small distribution restricted to 8 islands in Eastern Indonesia.

Populations are located within five islands in Komodo National Park (KNP) alongside Flores and two associated small islets of Ontoloe and Longos. For the past 17 years, we have conducted population distribution monitoring using mark-recapture and camera trapping techniques at ~550 localities throughout the occupied range. Komodo dragons are distributed throughout the four main islands of Komodo National Park and via dispersal and translocations appear to have successfully re-established a small population on the fifth Island, Padar. Recently we completed a 4-year systematic camera trapping survey along the coastline of Flores to assess the extent of the current range and to present the latest information on the distribution of Komodo dragons.

On Flores Island and two associated small islets, we successfully captured images of Komodo dragons at 81 out of 330 camera trap locations positioned along 1,400 km of coastline. In particular, we assessed for the first time the presence of Komodo dragons on the Island of Longos, off the north-western coast of Flores. Overall, the current distribution of Komodo dragons appears to have exhibited a slight decline (~12%) in area compared to previous surveys conducted by Auffenberg in 1970’s. Komodo dragons appear to vary considerably in density both among and within islands. In Komodo National Park the population density tends to be much higher compared to those on Flores. Our results highlight that whist well protected in Komodo National Park, much of the Flores populations persist outside of protected areas making them sensitive to environmental disturbances and the need for focused conservation actions.

Keywords: Populations, species distribution range, conservation management, Varanus komodoensis.

Evy Arida Being a permanent staff scientist at LIPI (Indonesian Institute of Sciences) since 2000, Evy grows her interest on reptiles, especially the varanid lizards. She studied the phylogeography of Komodo dragons for her dissertation. Her current research topics include systematics, biogeography, behaviour, and natural history of extant Varanoidea.

Email: eva.arida@gmail.com

Conservation Genetics of the Komodo Dragon, Varanus komodoensis, in Its Natural Habitat Evy Arida, M. Syamsul Arifin Zein, Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Tim S. Jessop, and Claudio Ciofi Genetic diversity of a population is an important component for designing management strategies for conservation. We described patterns of genetic diversity and divergence among populations of Varanus komodoensis from the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Nusa Kode, Gili Motang and Flores. Genetic analysis was based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence variation and microsatellite allelic diversity.

We identified distinct genetic units for conservation. The population on the island of Komodo showed by far the largest values of genetic divergence and is proposed as a separate conservation management unit. Similarly, individuals sampled from north Flores showed a significant level of genetic differentiation not only from other island populations, but also from sampling sites on the west coast of Flores. Thus, the population of north Flores should be also considered a separate conservation unit worth specific protection efforts. Gili Motang is of particular concern because of the small population size, low heterozygosity, lack of diversity at mtDNA control region and high percentage of fixed alleles. This small island population should be an integral part of monitoring programs, where both genetic and demographic parameters are assessed on a regular basis to record possible evidence of significantly reduced population size and viability. On the other hand, the populations of Rinca, Nusa Kode and the west coast of Flores retain a considerable level of genetic variability. Rinca and western Flores, however, differ considerably in the level of threat to their populations. While Rinca is part of Komodo National Park and well protected, habitat fragmentation is threatening Komodo dragons on western Flores. Continued demographic and genetic monitoring of Komodo dragons in western Flores should be integrated to collaborative efforts with local authority and the community, in order to increase likelihood of suitable habitats on Flores. In the end, viable populations will be maintained on this island.

Keywords: Conservation genetics, Population management, Reptiles, Varanus

Deni Purwandana A senior scientist in Komodo Survival Program., Deni has been working for komodo dragon research and conservation since 2001. He has an expertise in ecology, demographics, and satellite island population study for komodo dragon conservation.

Bird watching is an additional skill in his field study.

Email: dpurwandana@komododragon.org

Demographic Status of Komodo Dragon Populations in Komodo National Park Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy, Jeri Imansyah, Heru Rudiharto, Aganto Seno, Claudio Ciofi, Damien A. Fordham, Tim S. Jessop Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the largest living lizard in the world and have a small distribution, restricted to only five islands in eastern Indonesia. Within Komodo National Park, Komodo dragons are found exist on the 4 Iislands of Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang and Nusa Kode. Understanding the demography of Komodo dragon populations is important to aid the development of effective management strategies for this iconic species. To assess the population demography of Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park, we conducted annual mark-recapture study at 10 sampling sites on 4 islands between 2003 to 2012. These 10 sites exhibit variation with respect to island area, and the influences of human activity. After 2012, trapping protocols were continued in the two eco-tourism sites of Loh Liang (Komodo Island) and Loh Buaya (Rinca Island).

A total of 925 marked individuals were captured between 2003 to 2012. The total population abundance of Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park was estimated atto comprise 2448 (95% CI: 2067–2922) individuals. The large islands of Komodo and Rinca had a higher population growth and survival rate compared to the small island population of Gili Motang (population growth rate, ƛ = 0.68 ¹ 0.09). Specific site population abundance at Loh Liang and Loh Buaya appear to indicated an increasing numbers in recent years.

These results suggest that park managers should must consider island-specific population dynamics for managementing and recovering of current populations. Moreover, an understanding of how what demographic, environmental andor genetic processes act both independently and, or in combination, to cause variation in current population dynamics is the next key step necessary step to better conserve this iconic species.

Keywords: Island populations, Abundance, Survival, Population growth.

Tim Jessop Dr. Tim Jessop is an ecologist and scientific advisor to Komodo Survival Program. His primary research goal is to understand how ecological theory can facilitate informed wildlife management and conservation.

Tim has been studying Komodo dragons since 2002.

Email: t.jessop@deakin.edu.au

Effect of The Wet-Dry Tropical Seasonality on Komodo Dragon Tim S. Jessop, Deni Purwandana, Jeri Imansyah, Claudio Ciofi, Heru Rudiharto, and Achmad Arieifandy

  The wet-dry tropical ecosystems of eastern Indonesia islands have evolved in response to year-round high temperatures and concentrated summer rainfall. This highly seasonal pattern in precipitation can have multiple direct and indirect effects on tropical plants and animals. Here we considered how the strongly seasonal patterns of rainfall might influence biological attributes of Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) in Komodo National Park. We predicted that seasonal variation in rainfall could underpin the phenology of Komodo dragon reproduction, but also through effects on ecological resources, might influence rates of somatic growth, body condition, survival and daily movement. Our results indicated that the phenology of Komodo dragon reproductive activities including females nesting and subsequent hatchling emergence was conducted to allow offspring to emerge during the late wet season. However, there was little evidence that Komodo dragons exhibited seasonal differences in somatic growth rates or body condition. Similarly, there was some weak evidence for seasonal effects on survival but this may be confounded due to seasonal differences in capture probability. Komodo dragon exhibited exceptionally high site fidelity during the wet and dry season indicating no evidence of seasonally instigated movement out of their resident habitats. There was however evidence the Komodo dragons increased daily movement rates during the dry compared to the wet season. The basis to this increase dry season may coincide with seasonal differences in daily or life-history activities. Ultimately, Komodo dragon showed differential sensitivity in their biology to seasonal environmental variation.

Key words: Seasonality, phenology, phenotypic plasticity, fitness.

Sanggar Abdil Nasu Sanggar is a biologist whose profound interest in ecology and animal behavior. In addition, he is also passionate about social engagement and study, including local community education and awareness. He has been involved in Komodo dragon conservation effort project since 2014.

Email: sanasu@komododragon.org

Population Dynamic of Rusa Deer in Komodo National Park Sanggar A. Nasu, Achmad Ariefiandy, David M Forsyth, Deni Purwandana, Jeri Imansyah, Heru Rudiharto, Aganto Seno, and Tim S. Jessop Ungulate prey species can influence the population dynamics of their predator. Rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) is the main ungulate prey of Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), thus monitoring population dynamics of Rusa deer is therefore important for informing the management authority of Komodo National Park. We monitored the populations Rusa deer annually from 2003-2018. We used faecal count method along permanently marked transects at 10 sites over four islands in Ko-modo National Park.

The result shows Rusa deer populations were much more abundant on the two larger islands (Komodo and Rinca) compared with the two smaller islands (Gili Motang and Nusa Kode). Annual variation in population growth rate was strongly density-dependent and island-specific for both species, with annual rainfall and vegetation composition being relatively unim-portant. Continued monitoring of ungulate populations is critical for the conservation of Komodo dragon populations in Komodo National Park.

Key words: dung counts, islands, Komodo dragon, Rusa timorensis

Maria Panggur Graduated from forest resources conservation and animal bioscience in IPB, Maria started working in the Komodo National Park in 2014. Her focus and responsibility includes the conservation effort of Komodo dragon and its ecosystem by doing continuous biodiversity inventory and monitoring, as well as building and strengthening multistakeholders collaborations.

Email: mariapanggur@gmail.com

Methods and Value of Komodo Dragon Population Monitoring Maria Rosdalima Panggur, Yunias Jackson Benu, Andi Kevi, Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Tim Jessop The Indonesian government has a conservation agenda that seeks to ensure that the population status of 25 priority species, including Komodo dragons, will increase or at least remain stable into the future. Komodo National Park conducts population monitoring activities for Komodo dragons regularly and consistently each year.

Monitoring of the Komodo dragon population in the Komodo National Park has been done through various methods including transects, aggregation counts, capture-mark-recapture (CMR) and camera traps. The choice of monitoring method is often determined by the data requirements, coverage area, habitat type and available budget. At present, population monitoring uses CMR and camera traps. These methods are effective for providing an overview of the demographic status of the Komodo dragon populations in Komodo National Park. Indeed provision of long-term population monitoring data has been used to assess the risks to Komodo dragons from prey poaching, and impacts if tourism alongside illustrating the general effectiveness of Komodo National Park to manage its flagship species and key environmental assets.

Keywords: population monitoring, Varanus komodoensis, management, capture-mark-recapture, camera trap.

Muhammad Azmi An engineer in Forestry, Azmi has been involved in komodo dragon conservation effort since 2017 as GIS specialist. He develops interest in photogrammetry and remote sensing as tools to understand the impact of land use and land cover change, global climate change, and another landscape dynamics phenomenon in komodo dragon conservation.

Email: m.azmi@komododragon.org

Preliminary Assessment: Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Change to Potential Ecological Threat of Komodo Dragon Distribution on Flores Island Muhammad Azmi, Achmad Ariefiandy, Muhamad Nafi Andriansyah, Deni Purwandana, Claudio Ciofi , and Tim S. Jessop Land use and land cover change (LULC) is one of the major threats to biodiversity and wildlife habitats, in particularly to Komodo dragons. Komodo dragons can be found in five major islands within Komodo National Park and on Flores Island. Komodo dragons can be found in five major islands in Komodo National Park is well protected. On the other hand, natural habitats on Flores are affected by anthropogenic activities, such as land conversion to cultivate area and expansion of human settlements. These changes are also potentially associated with increase of ecological threats by habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflicts, and roadkill accidents. In this study, remote sensing data was used to assess changes in land use and land cover patterns between 1988 to 2019. A set of three different periods of Landsat images, Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) for 1988, Landsat 7 Enhance Thematic Mapper (ETM+) for 2004, and Landsat 8 Operational Land Image (OLI) for 2019 were acquired and processed. Supervised classification using Random Forest Algorithm approach was adopted for the classification and generation of LULC maps. Results reveals that there has been substantial change in the land use and land cover across the Komodo dragon distribution area. In general, important land cover habitat types (i.e. savanna and dry deciduous forest) has been continuously decreased by converted into built-up area for human settlements, and seasonal or perennial cultivate lands. Policy and action plans from local and central government is urgently required to address this issue, especially regarding the long-term development planning of human settlement and roads along coastal habitats where Komodo dragons are currently found.

Keywords: Habitat conversion, random forest, landsat, anthropogenic activities, komodo dragon, population threats.

Claudio Ciofi Claudio Ciofi is Associate Professor in molecular ecology and Associate Head of the Department of Biology at the University of Florence, Italy, where he coordinates a collaboration with the Indonesian Institute of Science. He serves on the Board of Trustees and as scientific advisor to Komodo Survival Program.

Email: claudio.ciofi@unifi.it

Genetic Assignment of Captive Komodo Dragons to Population of Origin Claudio Ciofi, Evy Arida, Achmad Ariefiandy, Deni Purwandana, Tim S. Jessop, Chiara Natali, Alessio Iannucci, and Moch Samsul Arifin Zein Conservation of endangered species relies primarily on in situ protection practices and, to an increasing extent, on international captive breeding programs aimed at maintaining viable ex situ populations. In captivity, the species’ genetic diversity is generally represented by the gene pool of wild-caught founder individuals. Captive management programs therefore try to minimize the loss of the founders’ genetic variation. This is most effectively accomplished under conditions that allow intensive management and in populations with completely known pedigrees. If this is the case, decisions can then be made about breeding pairs, frequency and time of mating events. Unfortunately, few captive populations have had the benefit of genetic management throughout their history. When either genetic relatedness among individuals or the origin of a specific founder can not be assessed because of poor or missing pedigree data, molecular genetics techniques become an invaluable tool to infer kinship and identify provenience of individuals, therefore allowing informed management of captive populations which may represent the source for demographic reinforcement and reintroduction of individuals to their native habitats. In this study, we provide an example of how a molecular screening based on mitochondrial DNA and multilocus genotypes can infer population of origin of captive Komodo dragons from three Indonesian zoological gardens.

Keywords: Captive breeding, Genetic assignment, Reintroduction, Reptiles, Varanus

Umar Fhadli Kennedi Kennedi received his bachelor degree from Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agriculture University. He has a great passion in herpetology, and now based in Bogor to do freelance-based works.

Email: umarfhadlikennedi@gmail.com

Invasive Toads are Close to But Absent from Komodo National Park Umar Fhadli Kennedi, Mirza D. Kusrini, Ani Mardiastuti, Achmad Ariefiandy The islands of Komodo National Park in the Wallacea region are the habitats of Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Although the Wallacea islands have lower species richness compared to the other large islands in Indonesia, they are rich in endemics, and the occurrence of invasive species would therefore threatened the ecological, economic and social balance of the regions. Several papers have hinted at the possibility of the invasion of of Komodo National Parks by Asian toads, a situation which would affect the survival of the Komodo dragon. To detect the presence of the invansive toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus in Komodo National Park and its surroundings areas we carried out an amphibian survey using a Visual Encounter Survey method during February to April 2018. The surveyed location consisted of two main islands within Komodo National Park (Rinca island and Komodo island), Flores island (Labuan Bajo and Cumbi village) and Sumbawa island (Sape). Two species of amphibians were found in Komodo National Park, while seven species of amphibians were found across all four locations. No D. melanostictus toads were found in Flores (including in Komodo National Park), however the toad was found to be abundant in Sape (Sumbawa island).

Keywords: Duttaphrynus melanostictus, invasive toad, Komodo National Park, Nusa Tenggara.

Ardiantiono Ardiantiono has been studying Komodo dragons since 2013 and developing interest in understanding human-wildlife interactions, ranging from tigers to hornbills, by combining natural and social science methods.

Capacity building and lesson learned documentation from conservation intervention are his another interests.

Email: ardiantiono.tjokro@gmail.com

Understanding Human-Komodo Conflict Patterns and Engaging Local Communities in The Data Collection Ardiantiono, Puspita Insan Kamil, Sanggar Abdi Nasu, Muhammad Azmi, Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy Human-Komodo dragon coexistence is challenging when Komodo dragons cause substantial damage to local communities. Human-Komodo dragon conflict (HKC) is pervasive on Flores Island where habitat conversion to agricultural area and Komodo dragon prey hunting occurs. In 2016, we conducted a questionnaire-based interview survey in North Flores to understand the type and patterns of HKC. Our key findings were: 1) livestock attacks were the most common in HKC incidents with goats as the main prey, 2) most attacks occurred in livestock grazing area with less surveillance, 3) stray dogs attacked more livestock than Komodo dragons, and 4) three Komodo dragons were killed in retaliation for conflict (including attack on human and intrusion to village). Based on these results we recommended awareness campaign s, livestock management improvement, and better control on dogs owned by local villagers. A follow-up survey conducted in 2017 after dissemination efforts documented an improvement with respect to initial conditions such as 1) a decrease in the number of livestock attacks and 2) lower retaliation towards Komodo dragons. We continued to document HKC by encouraging local people participation in recording incidents in their properties using livestock calendar. The process, results, and evaluation are discussed.

Keywords: conflict characteristics, livestock predation, mitigation strategies, social survey, community participation

Arzyana Sunkar Arzyana is an assistant professor at the Department of Forest Resources Conservation & Ecotourism, IPB University. Her research interests are in understanding and integrating human dimensions to improve conservation especially within protected areas. She has also been involved as an instructor in conservation social science for national parks’ staffs.

Email: arzyanas@gmail.com

Role of Culture in the Emotional Response towards Komodo Dragon Komodo and Rinca Islands of Komodo National Park Arzyana Sunkar, Mirza Dikari Kusrini, Fitria Suci Ramadhani Human emotions toward wildlife were seldom considered in wildlife conservation.

Focussing on human dimensions of wildlife, this study seeks to identify, explore and understand the local communities’ perceptions and interactions with Komodo dragons. Data were collected from February to April 2018 in Komodo Village and Rinca Kampung of Komodo National Park, using close and semi-open questionnaires, threescale Likert statements and interviews with 60 respondents. Although 98% considered Komodo as a dangerous species, in total, 60.6% of Komodo Villagers had good perceptions of their interactions with Komodo, while 47.6% of Rinca villagers had average perceptions. Komodo attacks were less reported in Komodo Village, despite more frequent direct encounters in this village. Komodo Villagers have learnt how to adapt to the dangers, with 13% gave no actions during encounter, 77% pelt the dragon with rocks and 10% pull it by the tail. On the contrary, 50% of Rinca Villagers showed no actions but reported the sightings, 20% pelt it with rocks, 27% herd it with sticks and 3% hit it with wood. The different responses correlated with the different cultural beliefs and values towards the dragons. All Rinca villagers were migrants with no cultural attachments to the reptile, while for Komodo Islanders, the dragons are their cousins, hence should not be harmed. Approximately 83% of Komodo Villagers believed they could live with the dragons, hence showed higher supports towards Komodo conservation (81.5%) than Rinca villagers (65.3%). This study confirmed the importance of integrating local cultural values in building supports for Komodo conservation.

Keywords: Attitude, interaction, Komodo and Rinca Islands, perception, value

Ayu Wijayanti An anthropologist who has been involved in various research about social structure and interculturalism since 2013, in 2018 Ayu decided to join the multidisciplinary effort for komodo dragon conservation in North Flores.

Email: ayu.wijayanti@komododragon.org

Ethnography Methods and Social Mapping to Support Komodo Dragon Conservation Programs Ayu Wijayanti, Deni Purwandana, Muhammad Azmi, Puspita Insan Kamil, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Achmad Ariefiandy Biodiversity conservation is often regarded as a burden by local communities and results in negative responses towards wildlife protection plans. This is particularly true in protected areas near community settlements. One of the reasons for negative reactions lays in the different perception that conservationists and local people have of the value of animals. Indigeneous people of the Baar Tribe in North Flores consider the Komodo dragon as a non useful animal rather than an asset. It can therefore challenging to involve locals in any conservation initiative. This presentation will discuss how ethnography methods and social mapping can be an effective way to support mitigation strategies. An understanding of the importance of local values obtained through interviews, participatory observations and group discussions can be of great help in conducting human-Komodo dragon mitigation programs and at the same time preserve the socio-cultural condition of local people. Negative perception of Komodo dragons can be turned into a more positive attitude by involving local people in habitat and Komodo dragon protection by strengthening customary law and establishing ecotourism initiatives conducted by indigenous communities.

Keywords: conservation, mitigation strategy, ethnography, social mapping

Puspita Insan Kamil A social psychologist with a master’s degree in Social Psychology, Puspita has been involved in various human-environment interaction research since 2012 and working for human-komodo conflict in North Flores in the past three years. Her interest lies in the intersection of psychology, conservation, and wildlife.

Email: puspita.kamil@komododragon.org

Measuring the Human Dimension for Conservation using Psychological Measurement Tools: Case Study of Komodo Dragon Conservation Puspita Insan Kamil, Ayu Wijayanti, Ardiantiono, Sanggar Abdi Nasu, Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy Several conservation initiatives have advocated the importance of a better understanding of human dimensions to improve wildlife conservation and management. Next question to consider is how impactful a conservation program is on behavior change.

One way to assess whether such change is significant is to use direct measurements.

However, measuring human behavior in a society which strongly holds high social desirability bias, low social mobility, and collectivistic culture can be difficult. In this presentation, I will outline the process by which scales of measurements of behavioral patterns developed in western societies may be applied in conservation projects in developing countries with both kids and adult participants. Several measurement scales used in our human-Komodo dragon conflict sites such as North Flores and Northwestern Flores (Longos Island) are presented along with the results. We used Comfortable Interpersonal Distance, Attitude towards Animals, pictorial emoticon scale, short awareness pre and post-test, and Not-In-My-Backyard mapping tools. By using these scales, we found positive attitudes to Komodo dragons when it comes to ecotourism which directly benefits the local people. We also recorded a lower imaginary distance to Komodo dragons by the second year of intervention, an increased desire of locals to maintain Komodo dragon natural habitat on their island, and a gender difference in relation to attitudes and personal experience towards Komodo dragons.

Keywords: conservation psychology, scale, human dimension, human-wildlife conflict.

List of Author’s Main Affiliation Tim S. Jessop Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia Claudio Ciofi, Chiara Natali, Alessio Iannucci Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Puspita Insan Kamil, Muhammad Azmi, Ayu Wijayanti Komodo Survival Program, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia Evy Arida, Moch Samsul Arifin Zein Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, Indonesia Timbul Batubara, Juna Mardani Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam NTT, Kupang, Indonesia Lukita Awang Nistyantara, Maria R. Panggur, Heru Rudiharto, Aganto Seno, Yunias Jackson Benu, Andi Kevi Komodo National Park, Labuan Bajo, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia M. Jeri Imansyah, Ardiantiono Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Program, Bogor, Indonesia Umar Fhadli Kennedi, Mirza Kusrini, Ani Mardiastuti, Arzyana Sunkar, Fitria Suci Ramadhani Department of Forest Resources Conservation & Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, IPB University. Bogor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia Damien A. Fordham Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Australia David M Forsyth School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Muhamad Nafi Andriansyah Forestry Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia

ŠAchmad Ariefiandy

Loh Liang, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park

ŠMuhammad Azmi

Komodo dragons having a feast of water buffalo in Komodo National Park

ŠAchmad Ariefiandy

Komodo males fight in Rinca Island, Komodo National Park

ŠPuspita Insan Kamil

Our social study volunteer interviewing a local community member in Longos Island

ŠAyu Wijayanti

Deni Purwandana and tribe chiefs commemorating Komodo dragon habitat protection in North Flores

ŠAchmad Ariefiandy

Close up of a Komodo dragon in Rinca Island, Komodo National Park

striving for a harmonious coexistence between human and the last dragon on Earth Komodo Survival Program Jalan Karang Sari I, Blok G No 10 Padang Sambian Kaja, Denpasar, Bali 80117 Indonesia +62 361 9071008 www.komododragon.org info@komododragon.org